Author of Discovering
the North-West Passage: The Four-Year Arctic Odyssey of H.M.S.
Investigator and the McClure Expedition.To reproduce or distribute, contact him: eloasis@earthlink.net

Obverse side, full size

Reverse side, full size

The Challenger
Medal, natural size.Click on image for larger view.

INTRODUCTION

My intention is to provide anyone who seeks it, useful information
regarding the
medal commemorating the 1872-76 worldwide voyage of HMS Challenger,
which (in
hindsight) celebrates the beginning of the modern science of
oceanography. The author would be pleased to receive any
additional
information about the Challenger Medal, and in particular, be made
aware of
other existing examples of this medal. Please contact me at
eloasis@earthlink.net.

BACKGROUND

"The objects of the Expedition have been fully and
faithfully carried out. We always kept in view that to explore
the
conditions of the deep sea was the primary object of our mission, and
throughout the voyage we took every possible opportunity of making a
deep-sea
observation. Between our departure from Sheerness on December
7th, 1872,
and our arrival at Spithead on May 24th, 1876, we traversed a distance
of
68,890 nautical miles, and at intervals as nearly uniform as possible
we
established 362 observing stations."

Professor Sir Charles Wyville Thomson

But the work of the Challenger
Expedition had only just begun. A group of specialists, men
learned in
their own subjects, would spend years describing and drawing the
specimens that
filled storehouses and laboratories. Then, the daunting task of
publishing the results fell for the most part on the shoulders of John
Murray.
For the authors of the Challenger Reports,
they "...received nothing more than a copy of the publication and a
small
honorarium to cover their expenses. In further appreciation it
was
resolved that a Challenger medal be
struck (sic). The Treasury refused to pay for it and John Murray
had the
medal designed and executed at his own expense and himself sent
replicas to
those who had shared in the expedition or in the preparation of the
Report. He himself was honoured by the Royal Society when he was
admitted
Fellow in 1896. Official commendation by the Government was
deferred
until 1898, when the Queen conferred to John Murray the rank of KCB
[Knight
Commander, The Most Honourable Order of the Bath] in recognition of his
outstanding contributions to science." 1

Contemporary writings in the journal Nature
stated the medal, "...is being presented by Dr. John Murray to the
naval
officers of the expedition, the contributors of memoirs to the
report[s] on the
scientific results of the expedition, and to members of the civilian
scientific
staff, as a souvenir of Challenger
work."2
There were instances where medals were issued to individuals who fell
outside
this scope. One person concerned was Laurence Pullar. He
had an
engineering and business background, was a man of wealth, and took a
broad view
of public service. Pullar was also a life-long friend of Murray,
and a
Fellow of both the Royal Society and Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Obverse: Commemorates the voyage. In
the center
is a head and shoulders left-facing profile of the Roman goddess of
wisdom and
war, Minerva (in one of her many roles). Next to her is the image
of an
owl, her sacred bird (which is why wisdom is associated with owls). 4
These figures are superimosed upon a globe with lines of latitude and
longitude. I know of at least one example of the medal with only
the
lines of longitude on the globe. 5
Partially
encircling Athena and the owl is what appears to be an evergreen laurel
branch;
to the Greeks and Romans the laurel symbolised acquired immortality,
both in
battle as well as in the arts. 6 The
whole is
bordered by water, indicating the Expedition's round-the-world
voyage.
Figures from the sea include the Roman god of the sea, Neptune, who is
grasping
what appears to be a bottom sampler trawl in his right hand (disclosing
treasures from the deep). He cradles his trident in the left
hand.
A stylized dolphin is close by, and two mermaids support a long
ribbon,
which carefuly conceals their charms. The ribbon bears the
words:
VOYAGE OF H.M.S CHALLENGER/1872-76. (Fig.
1) All images courtesy of St. Columba's Hospice, Challenger Lodge,
Edinburgh.

Reverse: Commemorates work on the Challenger Reports. The central
figure is a standing armored knight, throwing the gauntlet from his
right hand
into the sea (presumably to Neptune), whose trident appears above the
waves -
this being the crest of H.M.S. Challenger.
The trident is partially wrapped in a long ribbon, which extends the
entire
circumference of the reverse. The ribbon bears the wording:
REPORT
ON THE SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF THECHALLENGER
EXPEDITION 1886.95. (Fig. 2)

Size: 75 mm ( 3 inches ).

Metal: bronze (possibly
also manufactured in silver, and though I have never seen an example in
this
metal, one example supposedly exists, and Brown states the medal was
manufactured in silver). 7

The medal was issued from the Challenger
Office, Edinburgh, in a fitted hinged
case, which has "James Crichton & Co., 47 George St., Edinburgh"
printed on the white
fabric of the inside lid. It comes with a simple handwritten
document
noting the
recipient's name, and that it is a souvenir of Challenger work. 9
(Fig. 3) Several medals
were hand delivered by Dr. Murray, but the majority of them were sent
by post.

Assembling a complete medal roll presents various challenges.
Laurence
Pullar's award is but one example, as he did not (as far as I am aware)
fit the
criteria for the award, and yet he received a medal. Two other
problems
derive from the article in Nature.
These writings state that Murray was presenting medals "...to the
naval officers of the expedition, the contributors of memoirs to the
report[s]
on the scientific results of the expedition, and to members of the
civilian
scientific staff, as a souvenir of Challenger
work." Firstly, there are nine individuals included in Walter
Crane's Challenger Expedition Reports.
Portraits of the Contributors, Reproduced from the Photographs
Presented by
Them to John Murray, etc. (1897), who do not appear on the List of Recipients of the Challenger Medal,
and there seems no apparent reasons for their omissions. The
second
problem is whether or not "contributors" included their assistants;
perhaps in some cases the answer was yes, but in others no.
Frederick
Gordon Pearcey had one foot in each of the two worlds, as he was a
Domestic 3rd
Class in the Royal Navy, and an Assistant to the Naturalists
onboard. His
shipmate, Writer Richard Wyatt, must have significantly helped in the
recording
of data, and was thus rewarded with the medal. One recipient was
a
certain "Miss Sclater", who was quite likely Philip L. Sclater's
daughter, but this cannot be confirmed. I cannot find links
with
the Expedition or subsequent scientific work among several individuals
at the
end of the Roll, but more research and time will undoubtedly unmask
their
roles. Please note that naval ranks shown are those existing at
the time
of the Expedition.

NAVAL PERSONNEL

NAME

RANK

NOTES

1)

ABBOTT, William J.

Actg. Asst. Engr.

Medal sent to HMS St. George, Simon's Bay,
Cape of Good Hope. Medal known within a family group. Named “W.J.
ABBOTT” (case of issue); East and West Africa Medal 1887-1900/Benin
1897 (“W.J. ABBOTT, FL. ENGR: H.M.S. ST. GEORGE.”), mounted as worn;
Order of the Brilliant Star (Zanzibar/Commander’s neck badge); Masonic
Royal Naval Lodge Past Master’s Jewell, Royal Alfred Lodge No. 420, top
brooch engraved “BRO.W.J.ABBOTT.PM.97” (97th Past Master), silver gilt,
London hallmarks with date letter “b” for 1897. Son – Commander William St.
George Abbott – 1914-15 Star (“LIEUT. W. ST. G. ABBOTT. R.N.”), British
War Medal and Victory Medal (“LIEUT. W. ST. G. ABBOTT. R.N.”), swing
mounted as worn. Also entitled to the Defence and War Medals 1939-45.
Together with an HMS Vampire
silver brooch, Birmingham hallmarks, with date letter “s” for 1917;
tunic medal ribbon bar for First War trio; Royal Life Saving Society
Bronze Proficiency Medal, reverse engraved “W. ST. G. ABBOTT JULY 1910”
(fitted presentation case); an original photograph taken in wartime,
showing him and fellow officers aboard a warship, believed to be HMS Vampire; and another photograph of
him and his wife taken on their wedding day post war, wearing full
dress uniform, and his 1914-15 trio; and two framed family crests, both
hand done by W. & A. Mussett of Lincoln’s Inn, London.

2)

ALDRICH, Pelham (1844-1930)

First Lieutenant

Medal sent to Captain Aldrich, HMS Hawke
(Mediterranean Squadron), Admiralty, London.
Medal known, in case of issue and with document, in the NMM Collection;
named "PELHAM
ALDRICH". Donated by Aldrich's great-nephew. 10
Promoted to Commander after Expedition. Entitled to the Arctic
1875-76 Medal (First Lieut., HMS Alert).
Commanded the Western Sledge Party (Ellesmere Island) during the Arctic
Expedition. Captain's Good Service Pension, November 1894.
Rear Admiral, 1898. Admiral Superintendent of Portsmouth
Dockyard, 1899-1902. Attended the departure of the Royal Coffin from
Gosport, at the funeral of Queen Victoria, 1 February 1901. CVO (1902).
Admiral 1907. Retired 1908. Aldrich's journal is in the RGS
archives.

3)

ALLEN, Alfred J.

Engineer

Shown as Allan on the List. Medal
sent to a residence, but then forwarded to the Admiralty.
Medal known in Royal Naval Museum (Portsmouth) and named 'A.J. ALLEN'.

4)

BALFOUR, Andrew F.

Sub-Lieutenant

Medal sent to Commander Balfour, HMS Penguin (Australian Station), Admiralty, London.
Balfour captained the Penguin from 1893-95. In 1895, he made
three soundings in over 5,000 fathoms in the Kermadec Trench, the
deepest obtained to that date.

5)

BETHNELL, George R.

Lieutenant

Medal sent to Commander Bethell, 43 Curzon
Street, Mayfair, London. Also entitled to the Egypt 1882-89 Medal/no
bar and Khedive's Star 1882 (Lieut., HMS Minotaur).
Later an MP for Holderness Division, Yorkshire, for many years.

Medal sent to Commander Carpenter's agent in
Westminster, London. Received the Albert Medal, 2nd Cl. during
the Expedition (Stanley Harbour, Falkland Islands, Jan. 20,
1876), and awarded the RHS Bronze Medal for the same
incident. DSO and specially MID for services during the
annexation of Burma, and received the thanks of the
Governement of India. Entitled to IGS/Burma 1885-7
(Commander-in-Charge of the Marine Survey of India,
1884-September 1889); Egypt 1882-89 Medal/no bar (Commander, in
command of the survey vessel Myrmidon) and
Khedive's Star, 1884-86. In 1889, received a letter from the
Indian Government recordingtheir appreciation of his
valuable services. FRMS; FZS.

9)

CHANNER, Arthur

Sub-Lieutenant

Medal sent to Captain Channer, Light House
Department, Colombo, Ceylon. Entitled to IGS/Burma 1885-7, when
Assistant Superintendent of the Indian Marine Survey, and served with
the Naval Brigade (MID). Assistant Superintendent, First Grade, Indian
Marine Survey, May 1882 to August 1887.

Medal sent to HMS Victory,
Portsmouth. Medal known and in the possession of Higham's
great-grandson in Quebec City, Canada. Higham's father was a
shipbuilder in Rochester, Kent (the Higham Yard, which closed in
1907). Robert Higham rose to the rank of Chief Carpenter,
retiring from the Royal Navy at Halifax, Nova Scotia (his last posting)
in 1901. He died in Montreal in 1934 and is buried in the Mount
Royal Cemetery in that city.

12)

HOWLETT, William A.

Asst. Engr.
2nd Cl.

Medal known. Medal sent to HMS Grafton,
Chatham.

13)

HYNES, John

Asst. Paymaster

Medal sent to HMS Northampton,
Sheerness.

14)

MACLEAN, George

Staff Surgeon

Medal sent to Surgeon-General Maclean, RN
Hospital, Haslar, Gosport.

15)

MACLEAR, John Fiot Lee Pearse
(1838-1907)

Commander

Contributor to the Narrative. He was
second-in-command throughout the entire voyage, and was afterwards
promoted to Captain. Assistant Surveyor, 2nd Class. Medal delivered by
Dr. Murray. Retired Vice-Admiral, 23 August 1897. Entitled to
Crimea/Sebastopol, Baltic, Turkish Crimea Medals (Midshipman/HMS Algiers), China 1857- 60/Taku Forts 1860 (Lieutenant/HMS Sphinx), Abyssinia 1867-68 (First Lieut./HMS Octavia).
He is reputed in Dictionary of National Biography 20th
Century and The Times' obituary to have served as
a Naval Cadet on HMS Castor during the South African
War, 1850-53, but he is not on the Medal Roll. In addition, a
photograph of Maclear wearing his miniature medals does not
show him with the South Africa 1834-53 Medal. Admiral 1903.

16)

NARES, George Strong
(1831-1915)

Captain
(1872-74)

Contributor to the Reports.
Medal delivered by Dr. Murray. Also entitled to the Arctic 1818-55
Medal (Mate/HMS Resolute/1852-54) and Arctic 1875-76
Medal (Captain, HMS Alert - Commander of the
Expedition). FRS (1875), RGS Founder's Gold Medal (1877). Gold Medal of
the Société de Geographie de Paris. KCB upon his return from the Arctic
Expedition. Vice-Admiral on the Retired List in 1892.

17)

PEARCEY, Fredk. Gordon

Domestic, 3rd Cl.

Assistant to scientists, with duties in the
chemical laboratory. Employed by the Challenger Commission upon
his return of the Expedition. Contributor to the Reports.
Along with Writer 3rd Cl. Richard Wyatt, one of only two other ranks to
receive the medal.

18)

RICHARDS, R.R.A.

Paymaster

Medal delivered to Erlands, Crondall, Hants.
Unpublished journal rests in the archives of the RGS.

19)

SLOGGETT, Henry Charles (1852-1905)

Sub-Lieutenant

Medal sent to Honolulu, Sandwich Islands.
Later resigned his commission and went to medical
school in Glasgow. Dr. Sloggett, his wife and daughter,
arrived in Honolulu in 1896, having come from the state of Washington.
In 1900, he helped organized the Honolulu Microscopic Society. He
was also a member of the Medical Association of Hawaii and its
president in 1903.

Medal known. Probably named “F.T.
THOMSON” (case of issue), and exists with an old family chest
containing many nautical diaries, certificates, logs, and private
letters. Medal sent to Thomson at The Palace, Hampton Court, London. In
charge of survey. Contributor to the Reports.

23)

TIZARD, Thomas H.
(1839-1924)

Staff Cmdr.

Asst. Surveyor, 1st Cl.
Contributor to the Narrative and Meteorological
Observations. Medal delivered by Dr. Murray. Probably entitled to
the Baltic Medal. CMG (Queen's Birthday, June 3, 1899).
Shown on the 1901 and 1907 Retired Lists with a CB, but this may
be in error for the CMG. FRS; FRGS.

24)

WYATT, Richard

Writer, 3rd Cl.

A Chief Petty Officer rating. Medal known
within a group. Probably named “R. WYATT” and delivered to 113
Powerscourt Road, Portsmouth. Together with an Egypt and Sudan Medal
1882-89/Alexandria 11th July (dated reverse/Writer 1st
Class/HMS Alexandra), Naval
Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, and Khedive’s Star (1882); these
three kept in a case.

Zoologist and Anthropologist. Notes
by a Naturalist on HMS Challenger (London, 1880). Contributor to
the Narrative. Hydroid and other Corals; Phosphorescent Organ of
Ipnops. Royal Medal (1887); MA; FRS (1877); FZS; FLS.

27)

THOMSON, Sir Charles Wyville
(1830-82)

Director of Civilian Scientific Staff

Medal awarded posthumously sent to a Miss
Dawson (presumably a relative). Contributor to the Reports.
First Editor of the Reports. Introduction of the
Zoological Reports. FRS (1869). Sir Wyville
Thomson was an important proponent for ocean research in the 1860s that
ultimately led to the Challenger Expedition. He was
Chief Scientist for the dredging voyages of HMS Porcupine
and Lightning, and authored The
Depths of the Sea in 1873, which summarized the findings of these
voyages and presented a case for a global oceanographic voyage of
exploration.

28)

WILD, John James
(1828-1900)

Artist & Secretary

At Anchor: A Narrative
of Experiences Afloat and Ashore During the Voyage of
H.M.S. Challenger from 1872 to 1876. (London, 1878). Thalasa, an Essay on the Depth, Temperature, and Currents of
the Ocean. (London, 1877). Contributor to the
Reports. A Swiss national.

29)

WILLEMOES-SUHM,
Dr. Rudolf von
(1847-75)

Naturalist

Medal awarded posthumously and sent to his
mother. Marine Biologist. died at sea of erysipelas, age 28, Sept. 13,
1875, on passage to Tahiti, and was buried at sea. A
memorial tablet given to the family by Thomson, Murray, Buchanan,
Moseley and Wild, now rests at the family burial place in
Bad Segeberg (about 30 miles south of Kiel).

CONTRIBUTORS TO THE REPORTS.

There was a conscious decision to invite the world's premier
specialists to
conduct the investigations and write the various ChallengerReports. This
was done at the vigorous insistence of J. J. Thomson, who experienced
considerable pressure to give a more prominent role to British
scientists.

CONTRIBUTORS TO THE
REPORTS

NAME

SPECIALTIES
AND/OR POSITIONS

NOTES

30)

AGASSIZ, Alexander
(1835-1910)

Echinoidea.

Marine Zoologist and Oceanographer. FRS
(1891). Agassiz performed extensive explorations in the U.S. littoral
areas prior to the Challenger expedition. He was an
advisor and valuable assistant to Thomson immediately following the
expedition, and participated in cataloging of the specimens and forming
the initial plans for the Challenger reports.

American Zoologist known for his research
into the anatomy and embryology of marine animals.
Elected a Member of the National Academy of Sciences in
1884.

37)

BUCHAN, Alexander
(1829-1907)

Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulation.

Meteorologist. Medal known with
document, held at St. Columba's Hospice, Challenger Lodge,
Edinburgh. Secretary of the Scottish Meteorological Society
in Edinburgh. MA; LLD. FRS (1898).

38)

BUSK, George
(1807-86)

Polyzoa.

Medal known. Named "GEORGE BUSK",
and awarded posthumously. Ex-Surgeon, Royal Navy.
Parasitologist, Zoologist and Palaeontologist. RS
Royal Medal (1871); GS Wollaston Medal and Lyell Medal. X Club
Member.11
FRS (1850); FGS. Busk appears in the group photograph of the Royal
Society's scientific party onboard the Challenger (December 1872).

39)

CARPENTER, Philip Herbert
(1852-91)

Comatulae and Stalked Crinoids.

Medal awarded posthumously and sent to his
wife. Crinoidologist (Zoologist & Palaeontologist). FRS (1885);
FLS. Son of William Benjamin Carpenter (1813-85), a physiologist
who contributed to the Reports, but is oddly absent
from Challenger Medal List.

40)

CHUMLEY, James
(1861-1948)

Secretary to the Director &
Editor.

Acknowledged in the Challenger
Reports for his assistance.

41)

COMBER, Thomas

Contributor to the Narrative.

42)

CREAK, Ettrick W.
(1835-1920)

Magnetical Results.

Medal sent to Staff Commander Creak,
Hydrographic Department, Admiralty, London. Medal exists to 'E.W.
CREAK'. Promoted to Second Master, Dec. 9, 1858. Captain, RN, in 1901,
and Director of Compasses in the RN's Hydrographer's Dept.
Instructions for the set of magnetic instruments used by the
1901-04 British National Antarctic Expedition were supplied by Creak.
FRS (1885); KCB (1901).

Medal known. Educated at Edinburgh
Acadamy, and afterwards studied chemistry at Heidelberg, Germany, under
Bunsen, Kopp, Kirchoff and others, graduating in 1876 as Doctor of
Philosophy. On returning to Edinburgh he became assistant under
Professor Crum Brown at the University of Edinburgh. In 1881, he
was appointed chief assistant in the laboratory where he taught for 11
years. In 1892, Gibson was appointed Professor of Chemistry at
Heriot-Watt College, a post he held up to the day of his death.

51)

GRAFF, Ludwig Von
(1851-1924)

Myzotomida.

Zoologist.

52)

GÜNTHER, Albert Charles Lewis Gotthilf
(1830-1914)

Shore Fish; Pelagic Fish; Deep-sea Fish.

MA; MD; PhD; FLS; FRS (1867). Royal
Archive Winner (RS, 1878).

53)

HAECKEL, Ernst (1834-1919)

Radiolaria; Deep-sea Medusae; Deep-sea
Keratosa.

Biologist & Philosopher. MD; PhD.; Hon.
FRSE.

54)

HADDON, Alfred Cort
(1855-1940)

Polyplacophora.

Zoologist & Anthropologist. Regarded as
one of modern British anthropology. FRS (1899); MRIA.

Medal awarded posthumously and sent to his
wife. FRS (1851); Royal Medal (1852); President of the Royal
Society (1883-85). X Club member.12
Known as "Darwin's Bulldog".

65)

KÖLLIKER, Rudoph Albert Von
(1817-1905)

Pennatulida.

FRS (1860); Copley Medal
(1897); FMRS; Hon. FRSE.

66)

LANKESTER, Edwin Ray (1847-1929)

Invertebrate Zoologist

Medal sent to the Zoology Laboratory,
University of Oxford. A disciple of Huxley, Lankester's father (Edwin)
was medical doctor and friend of Huxley's. Director of London's Natural
History Museum from 1898-1907. FRS (1875).

67)

LENDENFELD, Robert Von
(1858-1913)

Phosphorescent Organs of Fish.

Spongiologist and Cnidariologist.

68)

LÉOPOLD, Alexandre Guillaume, Marquis
de Folin
(1817-96)

Caecidae.

Malacologist.

69)

LINSTOW, Otto Von
(1842-1916)

Entozoa.

Helminthologist. MD.

70)

LYMAN III, Theodore
(1833-97)

Ophiuroidea.

Naturalist. Served in the American
Civil War as a Lieutenant-Colonel and Aide-de-Camp on Gen. George G.
Meade's staff (1863-65).

FRS (1872). KCB (1899). From
1881-1903, one of the secretaries of the Royal Society.

107)

GOSCHEN, Rt. Hon. George Joachim (1831-1907)

Member of Parliament

First Lord of the Admiralty (1871-74
and 1895-1900). Chancellor of the Exchequer (1886-1892).
The latter position may be the reason he was issued a medal.
Goschen may have assisted with funds to publish the Reports.

108)

IRVINE, Robert
(1839-1902)

Chemist

Medal known. FRSE. Co-authored papers in the
Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Among others, he was one
of the instigators of the Scottish Marine Station.

109)

MONTEITH, James
(1865-1934)

Naturalist

Medal known in case of issue. Named "JAMES
MONTEITH". Medal List states:
"handed to Mrs. Monteith, per Lily Murray August 27, 1895". MB.

110)

MURRAY, Mrs.

Wife of Sir John Murray

Acknowledged in the Challenger
Reports for her assistance. Evidently not Sir John Murray's wife.

111)

NANSEN, Fridtjof (1861-1930)

Polar Explorer

Presented personally by Dr. Murray on Feb.
15, 1897. The medal was doubtlessly given in recognition of the
oceanographic work carried out by Nansen during the Fram
Expedition (1893-96).

112)

PULLAR, Laurence
(1838-1926)

Financer (?)

Medal known. Named "LAURENCE PULLAR".
FRSE (1903) and FRGS; LLD, University of Edinburgh (1926) in
recognition of his generosity in the promotion of scientific research.
Pullar was a life-long friend of Sir John Murray, and this
association drew him into his interest in scientific research.
With Pullar's financial aid, a steam yacht was built and equipped for
oceanographical work near the shores of Scottish sea-lochs, which
enabled Murray to carry on these investigations for several
years. This is but one example of Pullar's financial assistance
toward the advancement of science. It is claimed in some
writings that Murray did not tolerate the red tape of government, and
when the Treasury became stubborn, he spent his own money to bring
out volumes of the Report.13
It would seem possible that Pullar also put money toward the
publishing, and perhaps as a result of these financial contributions,
was given a Challenger Medal by Murray. To
date, however, the author has not uncovered any direct link between
Pullar, the Challenger Expedition or the Reports.

113)

RICHARDS, George Henry, (1820-1896)

Rear Admiral

FRS (1866); CB (Civil/1871); Knighted
(1877); KCB (1886); Arctic 1818-55 Medal (Commander/HMS Assistance/1852-54).
Richards had an extensive background as a surveying officer, and in
1864, was appointed Hydrographer of the Navy. He retired from the RN in
January 1874, and in December of that year, served on a committee to
plan the Arctic Expedition of 1875. Richards appears in the group
photograph of the Royal Society's scientific party onboard the Challenger (December 1872)

114)

THE ROYAL SOCIETY

Medal known. Sent to Burlington House,
London.

115)

SCOTT, A.R.

?

Medal known, in case of issue. Hand
delivered to recipient at the
Challenger Office. Acknowledged in the Challenger Reports
for his assistance.

116)

SCLATER, Miss Annie

Assistant?

Presumably the daughter of Philip Lutley
Sclater. Acknowledged in the Challenger Reports for
her assistance.

117)

SMITH, Irvine

?

Issued unengraved.

118)

TURBYNE, Alexander
(?-1905)

Merchant Captain

In the Report, Turbyne is
described as "being in charge of the Marine Biological Station at
Millport" and having been for many years "Captain of Dr. Murray's steam
Yacht 'Medusa' ". The Marine Biological Station at Millport was
established on the Isle of Cumbrae in the Firth of Clyde, in the spring
of 1885. The Report relates that Turbyne "worked for over 13
years under Dr. Murray's instructions (including 10 years
consecutively)", conducting practical investigations "while matters
strictly scientific were undertaken and prepared for press by men
with a scientific training." The above would explain the award of
the Challenger Medal. At some point, Turbyne live
aboard The Ark, a lighter converted into a floating
laboratory by Murray. The Ark marked the establishment
of the Marine Station at Millport, the oldest in Scotland. Turbyne
evidently went to work for the Fisheries Department of Cape Colony in
1898, and died as a result of a gun accident in East London, South
Africa, on 15 July 1905.

Below are individuals who do not appear on the List of
Recipients of the Challenger Medal, but who were
evidently in every way entitled to the award, whether through
participation in
the voyage or having contributed to the Reports.
Though it is possible that medals were not issued to some of these men
due to
their deaths, Busk, Carpenter and Huxley are a few examples of
posthumously
awarded medals. Perhaps some families could not be traced?
As for
the naval officers/warrant officers, excepting Commander Lloyd, it is
possible
that the other RN men had left the Service and could not be
traced. But
this again does not offer a certain answer to the question of why these
men do
not appear on the List.

ROYAL NAVY

RANKS

NOTES

1)

COX, Richard

Boatswain

In charge of stores.

2)

CROSBIE, Alexander

Staff Surgeon

3)

FERGUSON, James H.

Chief Engineer

In charge of engines.

4)

HARSTON, Henry Cuthbert Eagles

Sub-Lieutenant
(1852-76)

Son of an RN Captain. Henry Harston died on
June 6, 1876, and according to the death certificate, he committed
suicide 'as a result of taking chloral while in a state of temporary
insanity'.

The Ornithological Works of
Arthur, Ninth Marquis of Tweeddale (1881). Served as a
soldier in India and the Crimea. President of the Zoological
Society of London. FRS (1871).

16)

MIERS, Edward John
(1851-1930)

Brachyura.

Curator of the Natural History Museum
in London (1872-85). FZS; FLS.

17)

WHITE, Francis Buchanan
(1842-94)

Pelagic Hemiptera.

Entomologist. MD; FLS.

Summary of Sir John Murray's
Titles & Awards, Etc.

Note: Murray is not
shown on the List as receiving a medal. This may well
be an indication of the gentleman's modesty, as he evidently did not
have a medal engraved for himself. Still, the total number of
medals cast is unknown, so he more than likely kept an un-named
specimen for himself.

MURRAY, Sir John
(1841-1914)

Naturalist

Considered the founder of modern
oceanography. Seven of the 50 volumes of the Challenger
Reports were written largely or entirely by Murray. He
was also the Editor, contributor to the Narrative and wrote
the Summary of Results. Deep-Sea Deposits. FRS
(1896); FRSE. Cuvier Prize & Medal (Institute of France/1894);
Humbodt Medal (Berlin Society of Geography/1895); Royal Medal
(RS/1895); Founders Medal (RGS/1895); Neill Medal (RSE/1880);
Makdougall-Brisbane Medal (RSE/1886); Order of Pour le Mérite for Arts
& Sciences (Prussia/1898); Cullum Medal (AGS/1899); Clarke Memorial
Medal (RSNSW/1901); Lütke Medal (IRSG/1904); Livingstone Medal
(RSGS/1910); Grand Cross of the Royal Order of St. Olav (Norway/1910);
Helen Culver Medal (GSC/1911); Vega Medal (SAGS/1912); Agassiz Gold
Medal (Academy of Sciences, Washington/special copy/1913). Murray
created the Alexander Agassiz Medal in honor of his friend. The
medal is awarded for an original contribution in the science of
oceanography. KCB (1898). In 1886, he put forth a plan to send two
ships on a major Antarctic expedition. Although it was
never put into action, eight years later, the RGS used his
ideas to promote the British National Antarctic Expedition.

Abbreviations

Actg. - Acting
AOU - American Ornithologists' Union
Asst. - Assistant
CB - Companion of the Order of the Bath
CIE - Companion of the Most Eminent Order of
the Indian
Empire
Cmdr. - Commander
CMZS - Charter Member Zoological Society (?)
CVO - Commander Victorian Order
DSO - Distinguished Service Order
Engr. - Engineer
FGS - Fellow of the Geological Society
FLS - Fellow of the Linnean Society
FRCSI - Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
FRGS - Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
FRMS - Fellow of the Royal Meteorlogical Society
FRS - Fellow of the Royal Society
FRSE - Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
FRSSL&E - Fellow of the Royal Societies of London and Edinburgh
FZS - Fellow of the Zoological Society of London
GSC - Geographic Society of Chicago
Hon. - Honorary
IGS - India General Service Medal 1854-95
IRGS - Imperial Russian Geographical Society
KCB - Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
KCMG- Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael
and St.
George
LLD - Legum Doctor (Doctor of Law)
MB - Bachelor of Medicine
MID - Mentioned in Despatches
MRCS- Member of the Royal College of Surgeons
MRIA - Member Royal Irish Academy
RHS - Royal Humane Society
RN - Royal Navy
RNVR - Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
RS - Royal Society (London)
RSA - Royal Society of Arts
RSE - Royal Society of Edinburgh
RSGS - The Royal Scottish Geographical Society
RSNWS - The Royal Society of New South Wales
SAGS - Swedish Anthropological & Geographical Society
VPPS - Vice President of the Palaeontographical Society

11
The X Club was a dinner club formed in 1864 by nine
eminent scientists, who had long been intimate friends, so they would
not drift
apart due to their various duties, and in order to further the cause of
science. The Club held monthly meetings from October to June, and
was
extremely active for two decades, but this activity gradually
lessened.
The regular communication helped X Club members to gather their efforts
on
behalf of science against what they felt to be the obstructionist
activities
and ideas of conservative scientists, certain theologians, and
non-scientific
society figures. Members at the birth of the X Club were:
George
Busk (1807- 86), Joseph D. Hooker (1817-1911), Herbert Spencer
(1820-1923),
John Tyndall (1820-93), Edward Frankland (1825-99), Thomas Henry Huxley
(1825-95), Thomas Archer Hirst (1830-92) and John Lubbock
(1834-1913).
William Spottiswoode (1825-83) became the ninth member of the Club at
its
second meeting. Much of the discussion at the meetings focused on
the
affairs of the Royal Society. By 1864, all were Fellows of the
Royal
Society, except Spencer who, due to principle and possible resentment,
flatly
refused to agree to his being nominated. The X Club exerted
important influence
in the Royal Society, in the British Association, in various other
scholarly
societies, in the Royal Institution, and in the publishing of
scientific works.

12 Linklater, 1972

13 Shipley, Sir Arthur E. (Zoologist 1861-1927)

This report was prepared from a paper that is available here as a pdf document.